Mobility-restricted customer applications

I represent someone who cannot attend a Branch of Bankwest. They want a secondary card on my BankWest mastercard. The card is essential in this modern world for internet shopping delivered to the home.

What provisions does BankWest have in place to allow mobility-challenged people to particpate in the BankWest services? I was told that a card will not be issued to anyone unless they come into a Branch ! How can this discriminatory attitude be legal ?

Re: Mobility-restricted customer applications

While I understand the inconvenience this may cause you @Hbalfour, for privacy and security reasons, and to ensure we meet legislative requirements. we need to identify all new customers. To do this the customer needs to be present to show 100 points of ID. If the person you're representing is not a current Bankwest customer we would need them to either come into a store or be identified using our credit card identification form at an Australia Post store to be issued with a card for your account.

So you can see how it might be just as impossible for somebody who is immobilised to visit either of the options here ... To attend at Australia Post or to attend at a Bankwest branch.

Is this more of the hysteric 'anti-terror' idiocy? The postion here seems to clash with anti-discrimination provisions that are supposed prevent companies from disadvantaging a handicapped person, don't you think?

For somebody who cannot physically leave their home, and is therefore forced to use mail order, and more critically to life, home food shopping services, both of which require electronic payment facilities, the policy that Bankwest is insisting on becomes culturally exclusive.

I think that your company needs to provide alternatives for such people. Unless of course Bankwest considers the severly mobility-impaired as unecessary to support in their communities.

Re: Mobility-restricted customer applications

We certainly aren't trying to discriminate against anyone @Hbalfour, however we do have legislative requirements we must adhere to. Our Customer Relations Team are happy to have a chat with you, take on your feedback and better understand your situation to see if there is anything else we can do to help. Please send me your best contact number to forum@bankwest.com.au and I'll arrange this for you. Thank you